Self-scoring electronic target games are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,618 to Tillery et al. discloses an electronic target game adapted for use with a visual display device which is disposed within the viewing region of the game. Such a microprocessor-controlled dart game automatically registers and displays scores attained by players.
The development of microprocessors has made computerized dart games possible. Microprocessors control the operation of the game, including automatically calculating each player's current score. A microprocessor executes instructions stored in a ROM memory chip. The ROM contains instructions for a variety of dart games with different rules and procedures of play.
Present computerized dart games consist of one target controlled by at least one microprocessor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,781 to DeVale et al. discloses a dart game with two microprocessors. Although there is only one target in the DeVale patent, two microprocessors are used to monitor and service the dart game. The first microprocessor scans the target to detect where a dart strikes the target, and the second microprocessor performs numerous functions such as totalling the score of each player and actuating indicators which inform the players of the conditions and score of each player.
The controls for a multiple target electronic dart game would have many identical components. It would therefore be possible to avoid duplicating identical components for each control and have the targets share identical components. Such a design would decrease production cost by eliminating duplicate components. Furthermore, a multiple target electronic dart game would also give rise to a host of additional games that are not practical with individual, single target dart games.